This invention relates generally to wireless communication systems and more particularly to an RF receiver with user selectable receiver addressing.
Present paging systems identify messages for pager receivers with a pager address number. The address number matches a unique address permanently stored in the pager receiver. Pager messages and associated pager addresses are reformatted into a time division multiplexed data stream and transmitted over a radio frequency (RF) signal. The pager receiver monitors transmitted signals for messages with a transmitted address that matches the receiver address. If a message includes a transmitted address that corresponds with the receiver address, the message is processed and displayed on the pager receiver.
Multiple addresses exist in some receivers but the multiple addresses are used for group services or provide different functions such as selecting between voice or data. The multiple addresses are not selectable by the pager user.
A single pager receiver is often used by more than one person. For example, if the pager is used while driving a car, the pager user depends on the current car driver and car passengers. When multiple people use the same pager receiver, every message transmitted to the pager receiver is displayed. Thus, the person currently driving the car receives all messages for family members. However, the driver may not want to be disrupted by pager messages sent to other family members.
In another example, a father, while carrying a pager in a business meeting, may not want to receive messages directed to his daughter. Further, many pager messages give little information identifying the message sender. Thus, the father may waste time responding to messages directed to his daughter, son or wife.
Different persons each having their own personal pager receiver may each need to receive pager messages transmitted to a common telephone number. For example, workers at the same factory may each need to respond to pager messages sent to a common work number. Each employee may also want to receive personal pager messages unrelated to the work messages.
While some employees receive both work-related pager messages and personal pager messages during work hours, some employees may not want to receive work-related pager messages during off hours or the personal pager messages of others during work hours. Thus, the pager user must carry two different pager receivers, one pager receiver for work-related messages and a second pager receiver for personal-related messages.
In a similar manner, cellular telephone calls are identified by a unique telephone number permanently stored in a cellular telephone. If the cellular phone is shared by different family members, calls sent to one family member may be answered by other family members currently in possession of the cellular telephone. Cellular telephone users are charged a fee each time a cellular phone call is answered. Thus, time and money is wasted when cellular telephone calls are answered by the wrong family member.
Cellular telephones can also operate with different personality modules which each store a different cellular telephone number. The current user of the cellular telephone snaps his or her personality module into a cellular telephone. The cellular telephone then receives phone calls for the phone number matching the currently inserted personality module.
The personality modules cannot select between multiple authorized receiver addresses previously stored in the cellular telephone. Thus, the personality modules can then be used by anyone even without proper authorization. If lost or stolen, the owner of the lost personality module may be charged for cellular telephone calls made by others on any telephone. Thus, personality modules create a security risk if lost or stolen.
Accordingly, a need remains for selectively and securely changing multiple receiver addresses in wireless RF receivers according to the current receiver user.